Julia Price has too much on her mind to paint pretty pictures or decorations, writes Anne Tindall.

By Anne Tindall

IN her 89th year, Julia Price radiates life. She loves the element of surprise, which is just as well because a retrospective exhibition of her work at Artspace Wonthaggi has been put together at lightning speed.

“I don’t do pretty pictures or decorations,” says Julia. “I always want to say something about unfairness and to help and serve wherever I can.”

Her work has touched many on a deep level. It speaks to what it is to be human and to the beauty and awesome power of our natural world.

Julia has been painting and drawing since she was a child. She won her first award at the age of seven at the Royal Show in Perth.

Her mother was a professional classical singer. Her father loved all aspects of nature and enjoyed painting. She had a happy creative childhood that she shared with her four sisters.

Singing became her thing and she travelled the world doing theatre, radio and television until her children came along. She then rediscovered drawing and painting, which she could enjoy in her home environment.

A major part of her painting has been influenced by Aboriginal/Koorie culture. “I prefer to express a feeling in my art which expresses the needs of people in general,” says Julia.

Her involvement with Aboriginal people began when she was at primary school in Western Australia. She shared a classroom with Aboriginal children who were not wanted by their tribes or anyone else because they were half-caste. These children were institutionalised and Julia was very affected by their situation. She found it unfair that she was able to go home to a loving family but that they were not.

“I found their spirits again when I travelled around Australia with my husband Ross in 1985,” she says. “The only way I can explain what transpired from that time was that what I was trying to express was also what they believed as a way of life, in respecting the earth and understanding the spiritual aspects of this.

“I have done a lot of artwork about this ever since and some experiences have been overwhelming.”

She met people and elders from various tribes and was gratified that together they had the opportunity to express their feelings about their shared universal experience of living.

Julia has also been involved with a variety of community art projects over the years and held life-drawing classes in her home. In 1979 she was involved with a group called The Mind’s Eye Circle where they all concentrated on experimentation, modern art concepts and the departure from more realistic styles.

Her love of rhythm, movement and music resonates in her exquisitely layered and sometimes mysterious artworks.

Julia Price is a force of nature. She is also gracious and humble. Her art is as timeless as she is. This is a must-see exhibition.